Sean Gaffney says that the use of digitalised blood glucose monitoring systems can streamline diabetes care for those living with the condition, their caregivers and healthcare providers. He provides an insight into how the financial burden of diabetes on the healthcare system could be reduced through the use of connectivity.
Diabetes is one of today’s greatest healthcare challenges globally. It is the fastest growing health crisis in the UK, with the number of people with diabetes breaking the 5 million mark for the first time in 2023. Ninety percent of those living with diabetes in the UK are living with type 2 diabetes.1 People with diabetes have a two- to threefold increased risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke when compared with the general population. Furthermore, complications of the condition make diabetes the leading cause of preventable blindness, renal failure, and limb amputation in developed countries.2 Every week, diabetes leads to 184 limb amputations, more than 770 strokes, 590 heart attacks and 2,300 cases of heart failure.1, 3 A report by Diabetes UK identified 7,000 excess deaths in 2022 involving people with diabetes, which was a 13% rise compared with the 5-year average prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.3
Diagnosis and treatment alone are not enough to tackle the rise in number of people with diabetes. Diabetes is a long-term condition that requires constant monitoring, so neither patient nor healthcare provider can get a meaningful break from its burden. Central to diabetes management is the empowerment of people living with diabetes to self-manage their condition, with the support and partnership of healthcare professionals.2 As a consequence of the growing diabetes population, people are needing to be treated in less time with better outcomes.
Diabetes clinics and the NHS are facing increasing pressures to meet the increased demand for delivery of care of these patients and to address the challenges associated with their daily management. This has created a demand for innovative solutions to manage this chronic condition, as well as supporting clinicians in their treatment decisions. For a person living with diabetes, having access to the right treatment and monitoring can make a huge impact on their future; furthermore, the financial burden of diabetes on the healthcare system is reduced.2
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